Samsung Galaxy S8 looks set to be the smartphone to beat this year. Following a swathe of rumours from the Chinese supply chain, a number of graphic designers have cooked-up high-resolution renders of what the smartphone could look like, when it launches in the UK in April 2017

An elongated physical Home Button – flanked by two capacitive keys – has long-been a staple of Samsung smartphone and tablet design. But this year, that could be about to change. It is believed the decision to ditch the capacitive buttons will allow Samsung to dramatically shrink the bezels at the bottom of the device.

This would allow the South Korean company to bring its high-resolution display to the very base of the chassis – like it currently does with the sides of its curved S7 Edge screen.

GSMARENA

The leaked renders, published on GSMArena, show a Galaxy S8 Plus device with a 6.3inch screen

Until now, it has been unclear whether Samsung would use this new industrial design to shrink the footprint of its devices, making them easier to use in one-hand, or squeeze a larger display into the same footprint as its current-generation devices.

However new three-dimensional renders leaked by GSMArena appear to show two models of Galaxy S phones – one with a 5.7inch display, and another with a palm-stretching 6.3inch screen.

The latter will reportedly be marketed as the Galaxy S8 Plus.

Samsung will drop the Edge variation of its flagship Galaxy S phone this year, since all models of the phone will have the curved edge-to-edge screen.

The Galaxy S8 could also be the first phone to ship with Samsung's clever new virtual assistant, purportedly dubbed Bixby.

The virtual assistant was created by Viv Labs, the team that created Siri before it was acquired by Apple for use in the iPhone, iPad and Mac.

Samsung acquired the company back in October 2016.

Bixby will reportedly be able to use the cameras on the Samsung Galaxy S8 to scan your surroundings, surfacing useful information about what it is looking at.

The search functionality will reportedly be closely tied with Samsung Pay.

Amazon's first smartphone – the Fire Phone – had a very similar feature, which let customers use the camera to instantly find listings online.

Elsewhere, the Bixby-powered camera app on the Galaxy S8 will also be able to read text, SamMobile has claimed.

Point the camera at text and the clever assistant will be able to scan it and transform it into a digital format.

This has a number of useful applications – not least being able to quickly copy-and-paste from real-world menus, signs, and more.

It could also allow the Bixby assistant to translate restaurant menus and more, like the standalone Google app does on Android and iOS.

APPLE

Apple SVP Phil Schiller demos Siri, originally built by Viv Labs, on-stage at a media event

Speaking following the acquisition by Samsung, Viv Labs CEO Dag Kittlaus said: "Samsung is setting its sights on becoming a major player in software and services, and specifically AI.

"Samsung Pay has already proven to be one of the most successful mobile payment platforms in the market and SmartThings is another software acquisition signalling their conviction.

"And they have installed a new cadre of senior SW-savvy management stretching all the way to the top with a mission.

"You will soon come to see the utter seriousness of Samsung’s intentions. And like us, they aim to win."

It will have been a full two years since the Samsung flagship underwent a facelift, with the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge being more of a subtle refinement of the design debuted with the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge.

And with Apple rumoured to be planning a radical new look for its tenth anniversary iPhone in 2017, it make senses that Samsung wants to unveil something spectacular.

Elsewhere, sources speaking to SamMobile claim the Galaxy S8's in-built S Health app will get a major feature bump that allows smartphone owners to get in touch directly with doctors.

Samsung will reportedly announce a number of tie-ins with partners including Amwell and WebMD to let Samsung owners search for medication and symptoms within the S Health app. Users are also expected to be able to schedule appointments with doctors via video chat within the same application.

According to the report by SamMobile, users will be able to pay for doctor's appointments in-app, as well as take photos to illustrate your condition and locate pharmacies near to your location if the doctor recommends medicine.

Although the S Health app is not explicitly linked to the Galaxy S8 launch, Samsung traditionally debuts major software changes alongside new hardware.